Goatboy’s 40k – Scared of Dark Eldar – How to Deal
Goatboy here again chatting away about 40k. So I am sure all the other players out there are like – Damnit I’m tired about talking about how cool the Evil Space Pirates are. Why don’t you talk about how to deal with them? Well today is your lucky day because that is exactly what I want to talk about.
First of all, do I think the Damned Space Pirates will topple the so called hierarchy of 40k? Will it become the dynamite to what some people feel is a paper, rock, and scissors format? Truthfully I don’t know. Right now they don’t play like they used too, so that will cause a lot of head scratching as they put their models out on the table. Mix that in with some new interesting rules and army builds and you got a new metagame player that might be one of the head honchos of the space battles. Right now I am in a wait and see mode as I start to build weird lists to try and utilize a different play style that will hopefully confuse and create incorrect decisions from my opponent.
So let’s just look at some of the top armies and how they will try to deal with the new menace.
IG – The Big Scary Bad Boy that a Lot of People Hate
IG really won’t change a lot with how they interact with the models. They will as usual shoot a lot. You might see a push to less heavy weapon teams as an all reserve style list might be what really comes out of this new army. The IG plan of rolling more dice than you is still a good one and I really don’t see them changing up. Dark Lances are not melta weapons. You basic IG armor is as good it needs to be, as well as mixed with a FU FNP weapon in the good ole multi-laser. The army is still hurt by fast or wily enemies who can control what the IG get to shoot at so DE players might be a problem as they run up the field quickly or change up their deployment zones suddenly with Webway Portals. All in all most IG lists with a heavy design of Mech will be fine. Your PBS’s are still going to be a pain in the ass for them as they watch their models get scared.
Space Wolves – The Hairy Bad Boys of the Game
We ran some numbers with Space Wolves counter assaulting into Wyches. A lot of the time they tied and the game was stalled for awhile. It really depended on the drug they rolled – +1 Str, Attack, and Reroll wounds were all great. We went ahead and started them with a Pain Token and still the game wasn’t not as decisive as the DE player wanted. We didn’t even calculate the SW shooting at them with Bolters/Bolt Pistols too. The Archon is the new bad boy on the block and will hurt most Wolf Lords pretty good. The rest of the army not so much. Do watch out for massed Shardnet Wyches making your Wolf Lord only have 2 to 3 attacks. Make sure you place your dogs in front if you think you are getting charged. If you are doing the charging always try to touch a Shardnet with a dog to keep them from getting too annoying. Remember that Bolters are still really good. I think a massed drop army will have some fun as they try to rearrange the board and control the fight zone. All in all I think SW are fine as 15 missiles launchers is still a pain in the ass.
Tyranids – Poor Picked on Red Headed Stepchild
I don’t think Nids are nearly as done with as some people think. All your weapons really hurt the crap out of them. You got a lot of high strength firepower that can negate FNP. Mix that with your regular poison Guants being able to reroll without needing Furious Charge. Yes your Hive Tyrant is going to get punched by a 3 Shardnet Wych squad but that is more likely your fault for letting that happen. Just play smart and you will be fine. Your TWL Devourers are going to eat massed Dark Eldar as they cry out to too much pain.
Blood Angels – I thought we were the Goth ones.
Blood Angels will have some issues with getting charged by Wyches. Without Bolters and Counter(Cheating)Charge they just don’t have as many options as Space Wolves. They do have a super evil power in Fear the Darkness. I can see a massed push with Librarians and Librarian Dreads coming down, spooking the crap out of the DE army and watching as the game ends quickly as they scoot off the board. Sanguinor can give a run to the Archon in a fight and don’t forget some of the tank options are pretty sweet when you throw down a hail of scouting bullets into an army. FNP is still really good and having it on a unit Terminators is pretty sweet. Deep Striking Land Raiders are pretty good too :).
Vanilla Marines – Thunderfire HOOO!!
Marines are still fine. They have bolters and one of the best stall units in the game with Thunder Hammer Terminators. Thunderfire Cannons are going to have a blast shooting Str 6 pain all over the place too. I think the army will be alright as they have some great tools and options that can move as fast. A heavy flamer Speeder is going to be a scary thing to try and deal with.
Orks – Shoot Shoot and more Shoot
I think the Dark Eldar are going to have trouble with a true Ork horde. A massive amount of guys will always be a problem as it is hard to kill that many jerks at times and not take a lot of wounds/trouble back. Lootas are going to be a pain as they rain down bullets, energy, and whatever other nonsense the Big Mek has made. Nob Bikers might be a problem too as they just get in there, use FNP shenanigans and snicker snack you to death with Power Klaws. Shoota boys will hoot and holler as they bring down a Raider with some “well” aimed bullets. At least the DE won’t get hit by Deff Rollas most of the time as they dodge their spikey nonsense.
Chaos Daemons – I Hate Large Rate of Fire
There will be a lot of DE wounds coming at you and a ton of hitting you first. It will be a tough battle and lucky for you the Dark Lances are just alright against ya. Get your Grinders to lock down Wyches as your Fiends run around and do their business of taking down the spikey flying things. Massed Chaos Breath will be great as they cover everyone in whatever nonsense Dark Eldar see when Chaos is around. Something dirty I am sure. It will be a hard battle as the Dark Kin can assault hard and a lot of them have a better saving in Close Combat then you do.
Chaos Space Marines – Man this Codex is Feeling Old
Abbadon is still a beast. Obliterators are still not bad. Plague Marines are just as annoying. The cost issues in the codex will be a problem as usual, as the DE will feel like they just outnumber you too much. Here is hoping a new codex will come down the line at some point and maybe bringing about the Legions to the 40k Universe. Your game plan won’t change as you just play the damage control game and try to utilize some of your weapon advantage as best you can.
Eldar – Well We can Figure Out the Future From this Book
The big thing with the Craftworld Eldar is that we can see the future with this Dark Eldar book. I have a feeling a lot of the guns will change into Dark Eldar equivalents. Fire Dragons with Heat Lances anyone? I just hope that they do a good job as I feel Phil did a fine job with the Dark Eldar book so far. Plus it would be cool to get some Plastic Aspect warriors too. Ninja Kicking back Flip Banshees for the win!
Tau – We got a Strength 5 Gun Baby!
Don’t let them near you. Put a lot of marker lights on stuff, shoot, rinse and repeat. The Tau don’t change much of their game plan anyway so just do what your normally do. Shoot, shoot and shoot some more. The Plasma gun will be pretty sweet at Str 6. The Piranhas will frustrate people as they get in the way and try to blow up. You really won’t change your game plan that much and just sit there, hunker down, and hold on for a new and updated codex to come out.
Dark Angels – I will write a poem about this
Crap we need a new codex.
I don’t know what rhymes with codex.
Oh wait I know one – vex
And I cast a hex
On who wrote this dex
Because really I am full of perplex
I miss being good —
Black Templars – We Hate You and Hate You some More
Another book that is looking a bit grim too. Just play like you normally do. Either fall down and jump up again or just charge and do your rerolling business of preferred hate. This is another Dex that just needs some point tweaks and option tweaks to be really good again. Here is hoping they fix it and bring me Relic Bladed/Storm Shield Terminators. You know that would be a bad ass model.
Necrons – Um – well Crap
You got some guns – hope you don’t get assaulted. I hear there is a new codex coming out soon.
Everyone else? I just don’t think I need to go into it with a new Grey Knight books coming out and all the allies dropping into the bucket list for all to be happy about. I think the Dark Eldar are a neat codex to add to the mix and feel that they are not “THIS IS BULLCACA!” at all. Will just have to see in the next few months if it will be all about the Pirate Raiding or just a massed wave of cheap Ebay Auctions.
And a List for Reading this Far
Oh for those wanting actual DE thoughts here is a current list – 1850.
HQ: Archon, Huskblade, Combat Drugs, Shadowfield, Phantasam Grenade Launcher
HQ: Haemonculus X 2, Webway Portal X 2, Liquifier Gun X 2, Animus Vitae X 2
Elites: Grotesques X 5, Liquifier Gun
Troops: Wracks X 9, Liquifier Gun, Raider, Flickerfield
Troops: Wracks X 9, Liquifier Gun, Raider, Flickerfield
Troops: Wyches X 15, Shardnet X 2, Razorflails, Hekatrix, Blast Pistol, Agoniser
Troops: Wyches X 15, Shardnet X 2, Razorflails, Hekatrix, Blast Pistol, Agoniser
FA: Beastmasters X 5, Clawed Fiend X 2, Khymarea X 5, Razorwing Flock X 4
Heavy: Ravager, Flickerfield
Heavy: Ravager, Flickerfield
That sits right at 1850pts – and if I went to 2000 I would probably look at another Ravager to help give me more kill power. It is a pretty unorthodox list. I want to use Webway Portals as I got an idea on how to make a cool one and I think they might be pretty decent.
